BEREND TALNOTH
HP- 2/1 Condition-Normal
Chuckling at the joke,Berend said as he lit a Cigar(offering one to both Tae-Phoon and Jonah)
"I'll give ya credit boy,that way a good joke.Master Wheelwright, i happen ta know a spot where the King's Oatrol NORMALLY camps nearby.It should fit the entire caravan and it's easily defended..."

After giving Wheelwright directions,the dwarf decides to ask the Panderan Monk a question.Keeping his eye's trained for trouble,he says
"got a question fer ya lad: a while back,made a trip ta Kurikami and made the aquaitence of a Tortle monk named Lemidora.Wouldn't happen ta know her by chance?.."

Lena stayed out ahead of the wagons nearly the entire time- among other things, it made it easier for her to stay out of the mud. Only once in a while would she rotate back, to take a meal or to converse with Master Wheelwright about some detail of their route. Her surly routine did not seem to fade, but to those who were watching it was obvious why the merchant employed her- she did not miss many details...

BEREND TALNOTH
HP- 2/1 Condition-Normal
After giving Wheelwright directions,the dwarf decides to ask the Panderan Monk a question.Keeping his eye's trained for trouble,he says
"got a question fer ya lad: a while back,made a trip ta Kurikami and made the aquaitence of a Tortle monk named Lemidora.Wouldn't happen ta know her by chance?.."

Tae, still smiling from his own joke, declines the cigar, but accepts the light as he pulls out a long stemmed pipe.

His smile turns to a look of contemplation at the mention of Lemidora. Shì. She was my shifu, my master, before I... left... the monastery. It has been many years since I've seen her. I hope she was doing well."

His smile turns to a look of contemplation at the mention of Lemidora. Shì. She was my shifu, my master, before I... left... the monastery. It has been many years since I've seen her. I hope she was doing well."

Taking a good puff on his Cigar,the dwarf replies "i actually knew her afore she joined that Monestary at Sugueku...I was maybe 20 summers old at the time.My father's a Diplomat fer Thunderhold see, so when he wus ordered ta head fer Kurikami,he brought me an maye yunger sister along.Anyway,i ran inta her near some fishing village.Seemed rather personable ta me..."

Khu-Amon sits mostly silent as the large wagon slogs through the soft earthen-road. As the weather warms he take off the fur coat offered to him by Pecilis earlier that morning.

"Hungry, young lady?" he says softly turing his head to Ilona. "No.", she says curtly refusing to meet his gaze.

"Very well...," he crunches into the polished fruit and takes a few chews before continuing. "...you needn't worry. I - along with Apep here - ...", he raps the bottom of the snake-headed staff on the wagon, "...will protect you."

The young woman continues to ignore the aging wizard though she is clearly uncomfortable with his presence.

He turns his gaze away from her to eye the treeline and the area about the road. He knows that eyes far more keen than his have the responsibility of acting as sentries for the group. Khu-Amon raises his voice just slightly so that that the young maiden beside him cannot miss hearing his voice.

"You know...you could be a little friendlier. Few women who get to know me regret it. I don't bite...", he turns back to look at her with a barely noticable smile, "...at least not enough to leave a mark."

GM Talk: We’ve got rolls from everyone but Ghost so we’ll move forward. One thing I wanted to clarify was that I see Perception checks as tactile sense checks and Insight as “feeling” checks. So you may Perceive that someone is sweating when you ask a question, but Insight would tell you that you think they’re lying.

Obviously, Ankara would neither have noticed the sweat and thought that the fictional thief in this example is her best friend…

Anyway, DC was 15 for everything so….

As late afternoon rolls around, Lena, who was still ahead of the pack signaled to Tal’endir. Her keen senses picked up movement up ahead. She couldn’t make out any specifics but something large was moving in the brush up on the left side of the road maybe 100 yards up ahead. She could tell it was an animal of some sort, but couldn’t make out any details.

About the same time Zezzaka, Tae-Phoon, Berend all get the feeling that the caravan is being watched. None of you get the feeling of imminent danger, but you all get that feeling that there are eyes upon you.

Berend also knows from years in the area that not too far ahead, maybe a half mile is a cropping of large rocks that would form a good wind break and give the group a defensible position.

Khu-Amon raises his voice just slightly so that that the young maiden beside him cannot miss hearing his voice.

"You know...you could be a little friendlier. Few women who get to know me regret it. I don't bite...", he turns back to look at her with a barely noticable smile, "...at least not enough to leave a mark."

Ilona, Jonas’ daughter that is driving the wagon that Khu-Amon is riding in is in her early 20’s, with dirty blonde hair, a plain face and an athletic build. She finally responds to the wizard’s comments with a deadpan, “You’ll probably need me to protect you, old man. You’re lucky you’re on my cart.”

Then she turns to him with a smirk and says, “But if you try to bite me, your luck will take a turn for the worse. But keep talking, you amuse me.
Where are you from again?"

She finally responds to the wizard’s comments with a deadpan, “You’ll probably need me to protect you, old man. You’re lucky you’re on my cart.”

Then she turns to him with a smirk and says, “But if you try to bite me, your luck will take a turn for the worse. But keep talking, you amuse me.
Where are you from again?"

Is it the climate of this land that makes women so insolent?

The aging wizard speaks with a smile that Ilona cannot help but think is fake, "I am a scholar from distant Sekhumnkhet. Though my land and yours border one another, the distance between my civilization and yours is...", he then pauses as he eyes the plainly dressed woman from head to toe, "...very great." Ilona cannot help but sense a mild tone of condescension.

He takes another sizable bite of the apple and chews for a few seconds, careful not to speak until he swallows. "So...your husband...is he here? I mean on one of the wagons? Though I have no doubt that you are a tenacious brawler, I cannot help but believe it foolish to leave such a prize unguarded." Khu-Amon eyes the hands of the young woman looking for signs of a wedding ring or band.

He tosses the leftover core of the apple into the nearby grass. Shifting his weight and turning his entire body to face the young female driver, he reclines as much as the uncomfortable seat will allow. "Might I ask a question of you, young woman? It's only slightly personal just so you know. I certainly don't want you getting as angry that horrible ruffian-of-a-woman scouting ahead of us. How is it that you spend your time away from the road and your work? Dancing? Parties? Please tell me that there is some joy in your life."

"And I don't know how to ask this without sounding...well...boorish, so I'm just going to ask it. Do all the women is this depressing country dress like farmhands? I mean I haven't seen a bit of finery since I've arrived."

Zezzaka does not seem to mind the jolting of the cart as she sits serenely.

"Ankara," she says mildly, "do you realize that we are being watched? They are only observing us now, I think. Perhaps they'll attempt something tonight if their courage manifests." Zezzaka muses casually but there's a hint of eagerness in her voice.

BERERND TALNOTH
HP- 1 Condition-Normal
As he gave Master Wheelwright direction's to the 'Mole Ditch'(as it was refered to around here), the dwarf took a good puff on his Cigar as he casually placed his hand nesr the trigger of his Crossbow while saying casually(like one would mention the weather)
"I hate it when someone's overtly rude,don't you two? In case yer wonderin', we're being watched.Can't rightly tell if'n it's Good er Bad,just that we got eyes on us...."

Lena slowed, but did not quite stop, as she peered towards whatever was lurking up in the brush ahead. She gave a quick wave to get Tal'endir's attention and finally stopped moving. Clutching both bow and arrow lightly in her left hand, she used her right hand to gesture, so that both the elf and those on the first wagon would be able to see her- Jonas, at least, would be able to read the signs, but these were simple enough...

-Palm out, towards the wagon, in a 'pushing back' gesture: Slow down
-A single raised finger, chopped down in the direction towards the mystery critter: One thing, there
-Hand raised back to shoulder height, then head height, then back to shoulder- big, but not sure how big
-Curled hand, in a crawling gesture, not the 'two finger walking': animal, not person
-A looping gesture, pointing ahead down the road, then back at herself: moving to check

And then she shifted the arrow back to string and loped off down the road, letting the wagons and Tal'endir follow, albeit at a more relaxed pace. She moved towards where the creature HAD BEEN, to see if she could pick up its back-trail. Animals weren't usually a hazard to a caravan, but it was getting into spring, and bears would be waking up hungry from their winter hibernation...

>OOC: So, her plan is to try to determine what direction the critter is moving in (along road or perpendicular to it, towards us or away from us)- this will be the first Perception check. Once she has an idea of that, move towards where it was moving away from (ie towards any trail it might have left), and head over that way to see if she can spot tracks (And maybe identify type from tracks). Failing that approach sneaky-like to visual identification.
-I'm going to post a bunch of useful rolls now, since I can't do them from work- use the ones you need.
-Perception 1 1d20+7= 25; roll http://www.coyotecode.net/roll/lookup.php?rollid=217969
-Perception check 2 (for tracks) 1d20+11= 17; roll http://www.coyotecode.net/roll/lookup.php?rollid=217970

-For her initial movement, she will use Stealth Mastery and Hide in Plain Sight, using what tree/brush cover she can, for Stealth 17 at Speed 0 (normal Speed -1 for no penalty to check)
-If she needs a specific Stealth check to approach it for identification (either can find tracks or cannot identify from tracks, then 1d20+7= 13; roll http://www.coyotecode.net/roll/lookup.php?rollid=217971
-AND I'm going to spend an HP to reroll that (can't blow my guest stint that bad) 1d20+7 reroll= 24; roll http://www.coyotecode.net/roll/lookup.php?rollid=217972

-That ought to be enough for now, let me know if I need anything else.

He takes another sizable bite of the apple and chews for a few seconds, careful not to speak until he swallows. "So...your husband...is he here? I mean on one of the wagons? Though I have no doubt that you are a tenacious brawler, I cannot help but believe it foolish to leave such a prize unguarded." Khu-Amon eyes the hands of the young woman looking for signs of a wedding ring or band.

He tosses the leftover core of the apple into the nearby grass. Shifting his weight and turning his entire body to face the young female driver, he reclines as much as the uncomfortable seat will allow. "Might I ask a question of you, young woman? It's only slightly personal just so you know. I certainly don't want you getting as angry that horrible ruffian-of-a-woman scouting ahead of us. How is it that you spend your time away from the road and your work? Dancing? Parties? Please tell me that there is some joy in your life."

"And I don't know how to ask this without sounding...well...boorish, so I'm just going to ask it. Do all the women is this depressing country dress like farmhands? I mean I haven't seen a bit of finery since I've arrived."

Ilona laughs for the first time during the trip. “Husband? No f***in’ way,” she replied, the expletive rolling off her tongue just like it does with her father. “I don’t need another f***ing man thinking he can tell me what to do. My f***ing father does enough of that.

“And me, Lena and other women around here dress the we do because we f***ing WORK for a livin’, fancy-man. If it’s finery on your women you’re looking for, you’ll find some find drunken floozies in Millford and from what I’ve seen, there’s plenty of painted whores in Darrax that should satisfy your tastes.”

Then she turned to the wizard, looked him up and down and said wryly, “And as far as what I do for fun goes, when we’re off the road, I like a bit of drink and a soak in a warm tub. I’m not big on parties. But…”

Then she looked into his eyes. “…from what I’ve heard from you so far, I do have a…’hobby’ that I enjoy that I do believe you’re a fan of. Something that involves two people, you know? But unlike you, I like to engage in my ‘hobby’ with the ones who ‘dress like farmhands’ who don’t mind getting their hands dirty. You know, REAL men…”

BERERND TALNOTH
HP- 1 Condition-Normal
As he gave Master Wheelwright direction's to the 'Mole Ditch'(as it was refered to around here), the dwarf took a good puff on his Cigar as he casually placed his hand nesr the trigger of his Crossbow while saying casually(like one would mention the weather)
"I hate it when someone's overtly rude,don't you two? In case yer wonderin', we're being watched.Can't rightly tell if'n it's Good er Bad,just that we got eyes on us...."

Jonas heard Berend about the same time he saw Lena’s signals. “Ah, f*** me,” Jonas groaned. “Thieves I can handle, but I f***ing wild animals are another thing altogether. Thieves are predictable bastards. You never know what the f*** an animal is gonna do, even a f***ing deer can be a pain in the arse if they’re rutting or protecting a young ‘un.”

He motions back to Mads, who sends the signal down the line as the wagons train slows down.

And then she shifted the arrow back to string and loped off down the road, letting the wagons and Tal'endir follow, albeit at a more relaxed pace. She moved towards where the creature HAD BEEN, to see if she could pick up its back-trail. Animals weren't usually a hazard to a caravan, but it was getting into spring, and bears would be waking up hungry from their winter hibernation...

>OOC: So, her plan is to try to determine what direction the critter is moving in (along road or perpendicular to it, towards us or away from us)- this will be the first Perception check. Once she has an idea of that, move towards where it was moving away from (ie towards any trail it might have left), and head over that way to see if she can spot tracks (And maybe identify type from tracks). Failing that approach sneaky-like to visual identification.
-I'm going to post a bunch of useful rolls now, since I can't do them from work- use the ones you need.
-Perception 1 1d20+7= 25; roll http://www.coyotecode.net/roll/lookup.php?rollid=217969
-Perception check 2 (for tracks) 1d20+11= 17; roll http://www.coyotecode.net/roll/lookup.php?rollid=217970

-For her initial movement, she will use Stealth Mastery and Hide in Plain Sight, using what tree/brush cover she can, for Stealth 17 at Speed 0 (normal Speed -1 for no penalty to check)
-If she needs a specific Stealth check to approach it for identification (either can find tracks or cannot identify from tracks, then 1d20+7= 13; roll http://www.coyotecode.net/roll/lookup.php?rollid=217971
-AND I'm going to spend an HP to reroll that (can't blow my guest stint that bad) 1d20+7 reroll= 24; roll http://www.coyotecode.net/roll/lookup.php?rollid=217972

-That ought to be enough for now, let me know if I need anything else.

GM Talk: Very thorough, sir. I definitely have what I need and more.

Lena moves up ahead of the group with Tal’endir providing cover with his bow. As she approached, the creature quickly moved off into the woods on the left (northwest) side of the road, as if it had detected her. She assumes it caught her scent since she moved like a wraith through the soft earth and damp grass, which enhanced her already masterful stealth abilities.

It didn’t take her long to reach the spot where the animal was and as she did, it took her no time at all to identify the first track she saw. As she did, her pulse quickened and she began to perspire, even as the wind shifted to the north and began to chill the air.

The track, though large enough to be a bear track, had the unmistakable features of a creature she was all too familiar with.

One she had an unwanted kinship with.

“Wolf,” she muttered under her breath as she knelt down and placed her hand in the middle of the massive track. “Dire…wolf…”

GM Talk: Lena, take an HP. There’s no telling how being around a wolf might…affect you…